Created to Impress: Shafer One Point Five

Located along an interesting west-facing slope and alluvial plain toward the south end of Napa valley, Shafer Vineyards has access to a wide variety of soils and terrain. Most plantings are set within a short distance of the winery.

This makes for a wine blender’s dream and the taste of the end product takes complete advantage of it. It is in this unusual transition area between the Stags Leap and the Rutherford districts that Shafer’s flavors have developed their unique characteristics.

Although Shafer offers even more expensive wines than their “One Point Five”, the difference is lost on most of us.  Shafer makes a culinary statement about this in their tasting room by providing a side-by-side comparison of their wines. The differences are subtle and the One Point Five actually is a more “friendly and rounded” wine with its mellow flavors and elegant finish than Shafer’s other, more powerful, age-worthy Cabernets.

Of course, in the $65-$75 price range, One Point Five isn’t cheap, but it will stand up to just about any special occasion with ease. The 2007 and 2008 vintages were especially good, reaching out in a beckoning bouquet with a deep combination of black fruit, cedar, and light spicy earth overtones.

This is truly a wine you can sniff when it is poured in the glass next to you. It follows up with a blast of fruit that quickly opens up a cadre of complex flavors that everyone is sure to describe differently. It’s hard to get a consensus on this one. Tasting notes are usually all over the map!

When combined with a juicy steak, One Point Five becomes very much a “side dish” in itself by perfectly complimenting the charbroil flavors and juiciness of the meat. Be sure to save a few sips for just after you’ve finished the main course to wash it all down. Yum is the word.

One Point Five is supported by a large enough production volume that it is not hard to get. Try Sportsman’s, AZ Wines, or AJs.

Open slightly chilled (60 degrees) after 30 minutes in the fridge. It opens up beautifully as it approaches room temperature.

Article by Tom Peiffer, Phoenix Wine Shopping Examiner at Examiner.com

View more of Tom’s articles on Examiner.com by visiting his writer’s page.